Tiger's Eye
Tiger's Eye is a Progressive Gem currently living on Mars in The Fortress. She is the current leader of the faction. Appearance Tiger's Eye is a tall, imposing Gem, being the same height as Jasper. Her gemstone is where her left eye should be, and her right eye is a golden color. Her skin is a pale yellow with light bronze stripes on her arms and under her left eye, the latter combining with her gem to give her the appearance of wearing a monocle. She has full lips and large, fanglike canines. Her hair is brown, and there are what resemble two large buns, similar to cat ears, in her hair. Homeworld When she first emerged, Tiger's Eye's hair was in a neat bob around her head with a clear widow's peak. She wore a brown and crimson version of the standard Homeworld uniform; a rust-colored top and boots, crimson leggings, and a crimson V-necked shirt collar bearing Yellow Diamond's insignia. Current Some time before the events of The Forgotten Planet, Tiger's Eye regenerated in different attire. Her hair is a messy shag hairstyle, with bangs instead of a widow's peak. She now wears a rusty brown and yellow top with crimson leggings, and rust-colored boots with yellow triangles on the front. She also wears a long, orange cape with Yellow Diamond's insignia on the front, and a scarlet rectangle on the back. Personality Tiger's Eye is a very serious Gem, rarely if ever seen smiling or laughing. Similar to the Diamond she was made to serve, she prefers to perform tasks herself rather than relegate them to a servant. Despite this, she recognizes the fact she can't do everything herself. She will (reluctantly) split her workload with others, and is unafraid of making allies. Tiger's Eye values Gems for usefulness over friendship; in fact, she refuses to bond with other Gems entirely. She even dislikes being addressed by "pet nicknames" and, with the exception of a certain nickname with certain Gems, will simply not respond to them. She states her desire for distance comes from the knowledge that any Gem could get shattered at any moment, almost always citing Hessonite as an example. When someone disappoints, displeases, or annoys her, she almost always expresses it directly to the offending Gem. Tiger's Eye puts personal authenticity above all other attributes. She is known to denounce the Diamond Authority for "pretending to be something they aren't." In addition, despite seeing the practical benefits of allowing cross-Gem fusions (she herself has fused with other Gems in the past, though only for combat purposes), she denounces casual fusion in all forms as a means of "hiding" from the actual self. In fact, she will always refer to a fusion by the names of their components, rather than their preferred name. This dislike even extends to and affects any fusion she takes part in; when she fuses, regardless of who she fuses with, the resulting fusion tends to unconditionally hate themself, making them inherently unstable. History Tiger's Eye was one of countless Chalcedonies made for Yellow Diamond's ranks. Very early in her existence, if not immediately after she emerged, she was assigned to Hessonite. Her service was uneventful for thousands of years, until the Rebellion started. Her Hessonite was sent to Earth to fight the rebels, and, naturally, Tiger's Eye was sent to the front lines. Due to her seniority and loyalty, Tiger's Eye became her superior's de facto second in command, and would lead Hessonite's soldiers into battle. Under her leadership, the soldiers were able to hold their own against the rebels, but as the war drug on, troubles began to emerge. The Chalcedony's soldiers began to defect, sometimes during battle; those that weren't shattered or bubbled immediately would inevitably fight against them as members of the Crystal Gems. This forced Hessonite to add defective soldiers from the Beta and Emergency Kindergartens to her ranks just to have a chance against the rebels. Over time, Tiger's Eye became impressed with the off-colors' capabilities, to the point she would start to silently question the meaning of defectivity altogether. Eventually, Pink Diamond's "shattering" would bring the beginning of the abrupt end of the Rebellion. Hessonite called for an emergency meeting of her highest-ranking Gems, Tiger's Eye included, within one of her drop ships to discuss a course of action and possible retaliation. They had all gathered when, suddenly, the vessel took off without warning. Someone had hijacked the drop ship, and proceeded to fly it directly to Mars and run it into the ground. Miraculously, nobody was shattered, though many Gems were poofed during the crash landing. The Gems that withstood the crash, which included the durable Tiger's Eye, gathered their allies' inactive gemstones and carried them to Yellow Diamond's outpost on the planet to call for help. However, these calls were completely ignored, and the only message they received was an emergency evacuation notice. Since there were so few usable ships, only a small handful of Gems, including the outpost's overseer, were able to leave. Hessonite and virtually all her subordinates were consequently left stranded on Mars permanently. Immediately, Tiger's Eye's superior began to organize a reform of the outpost's functions, believing that a Homeworld-inspired government would not work on the now-anarchic Mars. Tiger's Eye stood by Hessonite throughout the changes, and personally pushed for reforms that would benefit the defective Gems she came to respect during the Rebellion. Over time, the ragtag group of former soldiers became an organized group known as the Progressives. They eventually began to seek expansion, just to find other factions taking up potential territory and drawing in potential members. This prevented them from expanding very far outside the original outpost, now dubbed "the Fortress." Around 500 years ago, a huge custom-made ship landed on Mars, and its owner, presenting herself as the leader of a new faction, requested audience with all four existing faction leaders, to discuss potential alliances. Hessonite was the first to respond to this request, and chose to take Tiger's Eye with her in case something went wrong. The events that occurred during the meeting are unknown, but it is known that it ended with Aqua Aura attempting to reverse-fuse Hessonite and accidentally shattering her in the process. As her second in command, Tiger's Eye became the new leader of the Progressives after Hessonite's demise. She continues to manage the Progressives to this day, maintaining a system not unlike the original one set up by her former superior, with only one major change: the explicit banning of casual fusion. Abilities As an Era 1 Gem, Tiger's Eye has standard Gem abilities, such as superhuman strength, bubbling, and agelessness. Skillsets * Partisan Proficiency: Tiger's Eye has a summonable partisan; as a Quartz soldier, she can summon and use this weapon almost instinctively. * Sword Proficiency: In addition to her partisan, Tiger's Eye is adept with using one-handed swords. * Keen Intellect and Memory: Tiger's Eye is smarter than her Gem type would suggest. She remembered details from Earth's colonization such as the rumors of Basalt's existence, and knew that a particular Amethyst would not know her own serial number by default. * Bartering: Through thousands of years of experience, Tiger's Eye has extensive knowledge on her own faction's economics and the value of their currency, and has become an expert in trading and making deals with all sorts of Gems. * Exceptional Strength and Durability: Tiger's Eye is a high-quality Quartz, making her physically stronger than most other Gems of her type. As a Chalcedony, she is also more durable than the average Quartz soldier. Unique Abilities * Enhanced Speed: In The Forgotten Planet, Tiger's Eye displays incredible speed, leaping from her perch and hitting Cubic Zirconia without giving her a chance to react. Tools * Gem-Powered Sword: Tiger's Eye owns a unique sword, designed and made by Chrome Tourmaline, with an unknown Topaz's full Gemstone embedded in the pommel. It is designed to force the trapped Gem to reform at the touch of a button, and in a very specific way, to create the sword's blade. This makes it incredibly powerful, more so than most summoned and material weapons, but also incredibly volatile. Thus, she prefers to use her more reliable partisan unless she needs the extra power. She stores the sword in her gemstone when not using it. Relationships Aqua Aura Quartz Tiger's Eye, while cautious around Aqua Aura, is possibly the only faction leader who doesn't show an appreciable fear of her. She has given Aqua Aura, as well as some of her associates, special protection, though her motives are unknown. Basalt Tiger's Eye was aware of Basalt's existence long before the two even met, but only through rumors she had overheard before the Rebellion. She had presumed that, if Basalt existed, she would not have survived the war. When the two met, Tiger's Eye quickly realized who she was after the off-color admitted to not knowing her own serial number. Basalt's presence proved to Tiger's Eye that she and Crazy Lace Agate had arrived from Earth, just as Peacock Pearl had previously claimed. Blue Goldstone Needless to say, there is a strong animosity between Blue Goldstone and Tiger's Eye. They openly scoff at one another for being "backwards," and their infrequent conversations often devolve into bickering and name-calling due to their strong, conflicting opinions. In fact, the only thing they can agree on is that their arguments are counterproductive, so they avoid speaking to one another. Cubic Zirconia When they first met, Tiger's Eye assumed Cubic Zirconia to be Pink Zirconia, and attacked her. After Cubic Zirconia summoned her gun, however, she backed down. After this misunderstanding was sorted out, she became cautious of Cubic Zirconia, and offered sanctuary to any Gems she brought from Earth to get on and stay on her good side. The Great Diamond Authority Tiger's Eye is dismissive towards the Diamonds she used to serve, aware of the false front that they rule through. However, the yellow diamond on her outfit suggests she still has a sense of fealty, or at least respect, towards Yellow Diamond. Hessonite Tiger's Eye loyally served Hessonite before, during, and after the Rebellion. Even after her death, she works to preserve the system her Hessonite had established, despite admitting to its flaws. However, she lacks the same sort of grief expressed by other Progressives towards her demise, and is even willing to accuse Hessonite of a hubris that Tiger's Eye claims was her undoing. She states this detachment is because they had a strictly business relationship, allowing her to see the Garnet's true colors without bias. Despite this, she still wears a red rectangle on her cape in honor of her late superior. Honey Opal Tiger's Eye is aware of Honey Opal's existence and has interacted with her in the past, but pressures her to split when she isn't needed. She considers Honey Opal as an individual to be a "false identity," as she does with all fusions, and refers to the fusion as "Yellow Sapphire and Pearl." Howlite Tiger's Eye despises Howlite and everything she stands for. However, she also deeply fears the fellow faction leader, and is willing to carry out many of her requests. When asked about her behavior towards Howlite and especially the faction she leads, she always gives the same reason: that the Watchers have already captured and hypnotized numerous Progressive soldiers, and that she can't afford to lose more. However, while there is truth to this statement, many Progressives are convinced that there is a much more sinister reason for their faction leader's complacency. Melanite Tiger's Eye expresses a strong and unexplained dislike towards Melanite, but regardless allows her to stay in the Fortress. When asked, she states that this is due to her connection with Hessonite; however, she is secretly afraid of what may happen if she attempts to exile, bubble, or shatter Melanite just to be rid of her. Peacock Pearl Despite granting him special protection as a prominent member of Chameleon Diamond's Court, Tiger's Eye doesn't express the same respect towards Peacock Pearl that she does to other members of the faction. This isn't because of Peacock's status on Homeworld or his gender, but because of a tendency he has to sneak strangers into The Fortress, often ending in disaster. Pezzottaite and Chrome Tourmaline Tiger's Eye respects the combined skill of Pezzottaite and Chrome Tourmaline, more than happy to pay them on commission and even responds (though grudgingly) when they call her "Big T." Despite this, she is fully aware that they are mercenaries without true loyalty, and thus approaches them with caution. Pink Zirconia Tiger's Eye reacts to Pink Zirconia with hatred, bitterly calling her a "Fake Diamond." In "Welcome to Mars," she cites the fellow faction leader specifically when mentioning reasons for the formation of the Progressives. When she mistook Cubic Zirconia for Pink Zirconia in the same chapter, she attacked her before even giving her a chance to explain herself, and showed no qualms against turning her into a battery. Progressives Tiger's Eye has dedicated herself entirely to her faction, and aspires to extend its reach across the entire planet. She is convinced that only the Progressive form of government will work on Mars, and actively enforces their few rules within the Fortress. Rhodolite Tiger's Eye's relationship with Rhodolite is unknown; however, she has granted the mysterious Garnet special protection for unknown reasons, allowing her to stay in the Fortress and not requesting work from her. She even (grudgingly) responds when she calls her "Big T." However, she is very easily annoyed by Rhodolite's antics. Tiger Iron Tiger's Eye was among the Gems that witnessed Tiger Iron's emergence, and was the only Gem to try and prevent their escape. However, despite her strength and millennia of experience, they overpowered her and destroyed her form. Thus, Tiger's Eye was not surprised to learn that Tiger Iron continues to exist. She respects their raw power, but, due to their status as a forced fusion, also pities and is disgusted by them. Trivia * In The Forgotten Planet, it is hinted that Tiger's Eye is left-handed. * Tiger's Eye is one of several Mars AU Gems associated with a Major Arcana tarot card; specifically, "The Chariot." ** This is due to Tiger's Eye's strong will and occasionally aggressive nature. * Tiger's Eye has some hypothetical named fusions that have not been, and may not be, seen. **If she fused with Crazy Lace Agate, they would form an Eye Agate. **If she fused with a Hawk's Eye, they would form a Pietersite (for obvious reasons). **If she fused with a Ruby, they would form a Carnelian. **If she fused with an Amethyst, they form an Onyx. **If she somehow fused with Blue Goldstone, they would form a Cat's Eye. **If she somehow fused with Melanite, they would form a Cat's Eye Diopside. * Upon receiving Steven's Era 3 broadcasts, Tiger's Eye would be shocked to learn of Rose Quartz's identity, but ultimately decide to keep the Progressives cut off from the Gem empire for a variety of reasons--chief among them being the knowledge that she would lose most of her power (and all her Gem-powered weaponry) if she had her faction embrace the new laws. Gemstone Gemology * Tiger's eye (proper name pseudocrocidolite) is a chatoyant variety of quartz that occurs when quartz crystals form alongside crocidolite asbestos fibers; it's these fibers that give the stones their signature chatoyancy. ** Tiger's eye is most commonly known for having a golden color, but it actually comes in a wide variety of colors. Blue or gray tiger's eye is generally marketed as "hawk's eye." * Tiger's eye's exact quartz type is disputed. While mineralogists tend to classify it as a type of chalcedony, some will categorize it as a macrocrystalline quartz instead. The confusion can likely be owed to the quartz's unique properties. * Contrary to popular belief, tiger's eye still contains asbestos. However, the asbestos fibers in tiger's eye are so deeply buried that the gemstones generally pose no health risk to wearers, even when in contact with bare skin. * While tiger's eye is not a traditional birthstone, it is a zodiacal stone for Gemini. It is associated with the base, sacral, and solar plexus chakras. * Tiger's eye was historically used as a charm to ward off the evil eye and protect from malice. * Tiger's eye is associated with good fortune, balance, and heightened perception. Gallery StevenedBigT.png|Tiger's Eye shapeshifted into Steven Universe Tiger's Eye.png|Tiger's Eye's first reference pic Category:Characters Category:Quartzes Category:Progressives Category:Era 1 Gems Category:Chalcedonies Category:Martian Arcana Category:Yellow Diamond Gems Category:Orange Colored Gems Category:Unknown Colony Gems Category:Active Gems